Fresh, Ontario-Grown Leafy Greens — Year Round
Vertical farms are an ideal alternative to produce that is typically imported to Canada
GUELPH, Ont. — This is the time of year to eat local in Ontario.
It’s harvest season, and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from Ontario farm fields are on store shelves, from potatoes and eggplant to apples and cranberries. But while that list of fresh Ontario produce will quickly dwindle as autumn marches towards winter, Canadians still have options for fresh , local leafy greens during the colder months.
“This is a great time of year for fresh Ontario produce,” says Cheryl Verbiski, Vice President Commercial at GoodLeaf Farms. “But in a few short weeks, harvest will be over and fresh Ontario produce will be gone for another year, and typically that is when the quantity of imported food on our store shelves begins to increase. There remains, however, options for Ontario consumers who want freshly harvested food after local farm fields go dormant — leafy greens from local vertical farms.”
In the current Canadian food retail sector, as much as 90 per cent of the leafy greens consumers buy are grown in Arizona or California and trucked thousands of miles over several days to Canadian grocery stores and restaurants. But leafy greens from GoodLeaf Farms are always in season; each year, GoodLeaf vertical farms can harvest up to 40 crops of microgreens and 20 crops of baby greens. And buying local means consumers benefit from products that are fresher, with a longer shelf life and offer more health benefits — microgreens are packed with as much as 40 times the nutrients of the mature counterpart of the plants.
Indoor, climate-controlled vertical farms operate without worry of extreme weather events, they are not at risk of pest infestation and they are always free of any pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. Vertical farming is an innovative growing process that naturally grows plants with a system of hydroponics under specialized LEDs that simulate the spring sun, providing the exact amount of light needed to produce healthy, nutrient-dense leafy greens.
This method of farming is uniquely suited for year-round growing in the Canadian climate.
It is also more sustainable. GoodLeaf Farms uses significantly less water than a traditional farm, has no run-off issues or potential contamination of nearby water sources, it eliminates thousands of miles of transportation from the supply chain — both reducing carbon emissions and ensuring fresher, heathier produce on store shelves — and more food can be grown per acre, reducing land-use pressures.
“With indoor vertical farms growing microgreens and baby greens, Canadians can enjoy a local source of fresh, delicious and nutritious food at any time of year — even in the dead of winter,” says Ms. Verbiski.
“With food security a growing concern and an increase in extreme weather events impacting crops — and thus prices for Canadian consumers — this kind of local home-grown import replacement is invaluable.”
In addition to its flagship farm in Guelph, Ont., GoodLeaf Farms is currently building new farms in Calgary and Montreal to ensure a supply of fresh, local produce is available across the country.
For a full menu of recipes using GoodLeaf microgreens and baby greens, please visit goodleaffarms.com/recipes.
GoodLeaf’s family of microgreens and baby greens — including Micro Radish, Micro Broccoli, Micro Asian Blend, Pea Shoots, Spicy Mustard Medley, Baby Spinach, Crisp Lettuce, Spring Mix and a variety of blends — are available in most leading retailers in Ontario. Find them in more than 600 locations including Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Zehrs, Real Canadian Superstore, Foodland, Longos, Valu-Mart, Your Independent Grocer, Fortinos, Whole Foods, Voila and other independent grocers across the province, as well as a growing list of restaurants.